


the definition of freedom

by KnifingGale



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bell Needs A Hug, Bell whump, F/M, Post-Solovetsky AU where the CIA delayed Bell's termination until later on after Solovetsky, Pre-Relationship, Protective Perseus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:27:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28514940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnifingGale/pseuds/KnifingGale
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple affair on paper: exchange a hostage of unknown identity for the US Senator held captive by Perseus. Yet Bell found it to be anything but simple.After all, the hostage to be given to Perseus was none other than Bell herself."We have a job to do, Bell."
Relationships: Bell (Call of Duty) & Perseus (Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War), Bell (Call of Duty)/Perseus (Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	the definition of freedom

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FrimReaper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrimReaper/gifts).



> Gifted to FrimReaper cause they posted the best and only awesome comment on my other Perseus/Bell fic on here. Without that comment, I wouldn't have been nearly as encouraged to continue writing Perseus/Bell content. Here's to Perseus/Bell rare pair solidarity!

The sea breeze brushed against your face as you walked alongside Adler. You glanced at him, biting back the questions nipping at your mind. He hadn’t told you anything in the briefing. The only details revealed were the time and date of the exchange, not one mention of whoever was going to be exchanged in return for the US Senator held hostage. 

Just as you opened your mouth to ask at least where the hostage was, Adler abruptly stopped in his steps, looking at the little dirt hiking path in front of you.

You heard the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer along with the muffled sound of protests-

Your thoughts were cut short by the sight of the very man who haunted your memories and dreams. 

_Perseus_.

The Soviet spymaster was standing there with the struggling figure of the US Senator his operatives had taken hostage during the politician's overseas trip.

You tensed, your hand immediately going to the gun holstered at your waist. Yet when you looked to Adler questioningly, he shook his head. 

Reluctantly, you brought your hand away from the gun. You shifted uneasily as you stood there waiting for whatever the hell was going to take place. That moment of uneasy silence was broken as you finally mustered up the nerve to speak up. 

“Where’s the hostage?” you asked hesitatingly, nervously glancing at Adler. There was something...off with him. 

Adler casually took a drag of his cigarette before sighing out.

“It’s you, kid.” Adler said before gesturing to Perseus, “Now, go to him.” 

“No, no-” you shook your head in denial, taking several stumbling steps away from Adler, “I-I don’t understand-”

Adler sighed, flicking off the ash from the cigarette in his hand. You watched as the embers fell onto the grass below, “Of course you wouldn’t, kid.” 

“Bell, we have a job to do.” 

You blinked, a flash of sterile white filled your vision before fading into a hellish crimson. 

And as soon as it started, it was over. You felt something abruptly snap in mind. The unease within you faded away as you stared at him.

Everything felt distant.

You numbly nodded to him. 

Taking several steps forward, you looked to Perseus. There was something inexplicably familiar about him. He looked like something out of your dreams. 

The same Soviet military coat, telnyashka, and knife sheathed at his belt. 

Perseus was exactly how he appeared in your memories. 

You blinked for a moment, stopping in your steps. 

Was this just a dream?

A test of your true loyalties?

You turned around to look at Adler questioningly once again-

And suddenly there was a _crack_ that reverberated through the air. 

You suddenly felt a bloom of heat at your neck. You instinctively brought a hand up to your neck only to find a heated substance spilling out from the bloom of heat. 

You pulled away your hand only to find it covered in an all too familiar crimson. 

_Blood_.

You blinked in shock. You turned to stare in the direction you heard the loud crack of the gunshot coming from only to find yourself staring at Perseus. 

You could have sworn right then and there he almost looked _shocked_.

 _How funny_ , you distantly thought. 

Because really the idea of someone much less _Perseus_ caring about you was just comical. 

Hudson was right, after all.

You were of no use to Perseus at this point. 

**_Nothing but damaged goods._ **

Yet as you felt blood well up in your mouth, you couldn’t stop the words from falling off your lips.

“ _Прости_.”

You really didn’t know what compelled you to say that. 

Perhaps, you were sorry for wasting the Soviet spymaster’s time and effort. 

Or for how you betrayed him at the start, succumbing to Adler’s voice in MK Ultra. 

You didn’t remember him.

Yet all those things still haunted you. 

And then you heard a second gunshot from behind you. 

You felt the gunshot at your back throw you to the ground. The bullet hit your ballistic vest underneath your jacket. Yet you choked on the fresh new blood gurgling in your throat from the impact. 

“ _Nyet_...you said you would let her go-”

“No, I said I would set her free.” Adler’s voice calmly said. It reminded you of how he would go over the mission briefings, coolly in that exact detached tone. You laughed lightly to yourself with your chest shaking as you choked even more on the blood welling up in your throat.

 _At least it would make it quicker_ , you thought to yourself. 

You heard the sound of approaching footsteps before you were forced onto your back by an abrupt kick to the ribs. 

“What’s more free than this?” 

You stared up at Adler’s face, not even finding it in yourself to be quite shocked.

You should have known better really.

Your use to Adler...Hudson...the CIA was non-existent at this point.

It was only time that you were going to be put down like this.

You only wished he shot you point-blank instead of letting you bleed out slowly like this. 

There was that brief thought that crept up in your mind. He could have easily gotten you to do the job yourself with the press of a gun in your hand and the muttering of _that_ phrase. 

Suddenly, you heard the familiar accented voice of Perseus speak up calmly. 

_“ты пожалеешь об этом.”_

And then all hell broke loose. 

Smoke flooded into the clearing in a sudden familiar hiss of several canisters popping open. You wheezed at the smoke inhaled into your lungs. Your vision blurred and dimmed with every desperate breath you struggled to take. 

Suddenly, amidst all the chaos of explosions and bullets going off around you, you vaguely heard the sound of footsteps approaching you. You glanced to the side only to see the blurry figure of Perseus there with his gas mask on before he kneeled down to you. 

...Was he going to finish you off like the traitor you were?

You let your hands lay limply at your sides. 

You weren’t going to fight him...not now. 

And so you watched numbly as he quickly brought a gloved hand to your throat, pressing harshly on the wound there. You groaned at the feeling of leather digging into the bullet wound. 

You closed your eyes instinctively. 

Perseus really did want to make you suffer before you died.

Although, you vaguely wondered why he would want to torture you right in the middle of a firefight. 

"You Americans...did you really think I came here without a fail-safe? I hope you enjoy the parting gift I left with the senator." you heard Perseus say calmly though you could tell there was a quiet fury to his voice.

You could understand that. Going all the way to Argentina for a hostage exchange only for it to turn out to be for nothing would be annoying. 

Although, Perseus needed to hurry up with torturing you if he wanted to deal out any real pain. You could already feel your vision dim more and more and your breathing slow. 

_Cold_ , you noted. There was an icy feeling that seeped into your being more and more. 

It was ironic how the only warmth you felt was Perseus’ gloved hand pressing down hard on your neck. 

Suddenly, you felt the warmth leave your neck. You didn’t bother to even open your eyes. 

You knew what was going to happen next-

Yet you found yourself slowly opening your eyes in surprise at the feeling of being picked up and warmth pressed against your side. You opened your eyes to see the olive green color of Perseus’ military coat as he was...carrying you with one arm under your legs and another supporting your back. Your head was resting against his shoulder. 

“Keep the pressure at your neck, comrade.” Perseus said hurriedly, glancing down at you. You felt his steps quicken as you heard the faint sound of blades clipping through the air come closer and closer at the cliff-side. 

You opened your mouth even as you felt hot blood spill out of your lips. You choked as you struggled to ask _why_. Then again, deep down you knew the answer. Perseus was still maintaining that hope he could get something out of you to use against Adler.

 _He’s wasting his time_ , you thought numbly.

Sighing one last time, you leaned into the warmth against you as your vision dimmed more and more…

“Nyet, _nyet-_ ” 

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally supposed to be a 200-300 word length snippet I was only going to post on my tumblr, not ao3. However, this ended up being way longer than I planned and expected. Also, grammar and descriptive details have left the chat in my mind so my writing is way more brief and less descriptive in this. Apologies for that. Well, I hope this turned out alright. 
> 
> On a side note, the Perseus/Bell tag has been linked/officialized here on ao3! I'd just also like to thank the tag wranglers for the COD fandom for handling that so quickly. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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